According to Search Engine Journal, Google is splitting its index of search results into separate versions for mobile and desktop. Google’s primary index will now be mobile, which means it will be more up-to-date than desktop.

Since April 2015, Google has been very vocal about their “mobile first” stance. This new update is the latest in Google’s efforts to deliver better mobile-optimized content to its users.

What does this mean for you?

If your practice website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re essentially hiding from prospective patients that use their smartphone to search for a dentist. As Google continues to prioritize the mobile experience for its searchers, not having a mobile-friendly site will undoubtedly hurt your rankings on search engine results pages.

Conversely, having a mobile-friendly website will help to boost your visibility on search results pages by delivering a better experience for your mobile visitors.

Mobile-friendly and/or responsive website must-haves

There are a handful of best practices that you must ensure your mobile-friendly site contains:

1. Quick load times: According to Google, 53% of users will abandon a site if it doesn’t load within three seconds.

2. Easy Navigation: On a mobile site it’s best to keep things simple. Have a menu that is easy to navigate and doesn’t require multiple taps to get to the desired page. Avoid multi-level menus, and instead aim to have a hamburger menu (where options expand from the side).

3. Designed for Touch: Make sure that your buttons are thumb-friendly and easily accessible so visitors aren’t forced to zoom in.

4. Text and Images: Mobile-friendly websites should have resized images and text to provide an optimal viewing experience. Users are unlikely to take the time to zoom in and out of your content, and rather hit the “back” button.

5. Keep Forms Minimal: The golden rule of thumb is the longer the form, the less people will fill it out. If you have new patient appointment requests, make sure to ask for only the absolutely necessary information upfront.

Not sure if your website is mobile-friendly?

Click here to see how your website appears on a smartphone or tablet by entering your website address at the top of the page.

To learn more about mobile responsive designs, click here or call (888) 932-3644.